


Dorado

by ndnickerson



Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-20
Updated: 2012-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-21 17:43:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/600434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ndnickerson/pseuds/ndnickerson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nancy has a case on a ranch. Ned goes along and goes undercover as a cowboy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dorado

Nancy Drew had her index finger hooked through her car's keyring, and she gently swung her keys back and forth as she strode through the halls of the country club, heading to the large outdoor pool. The summer heat was oppressive, and in retaliation the air conditioning had been set to near-arctic levels. Under the thin fabric of her yellow and white sundress and down her bare, tanned arms and legs, Nancy felt gooseflesh rise, and she quickened her steps, her sandals slapping against the floor. Before she stepped outside she pulled a towel from the waiting basket, then shouldered through the glass door to the stucco patio around the pool. The midday sun was blinding, and she pulled her sunglasses down from her red-gold hair, gone lighter from the days she drove through the summer heat with the Mustang's top down, and seated her shades over her sapphire-blue eyes.

Her heart was beating a little faster even before she saw him.

Ned Nickerson, Nancy's longtime boyfriend, was sitting atop the lifeguard tower, sunglasses covering his dark eyes, and his own dark hair had gone a few shades lighter from his time sitting beside the pool. His skin was more deeply tanned, too; he wore a pair of black swim trunks and sandals, and his muscular arms and legs, the well-defined six-pack of his stomach, were shown to advantage from his position above the pool.

It took Nancy some time to find an unoccupied lounge chair. She draped her dry towel over it, left her sunglasses on top of the towel, then glanced up at Ned.

He was looking in her direction. She had been able to tell that even before she had looked up at him; she could feel his gaze on her.

She gave him a small smile and a wave, nothing more than the brief flutter of her fingers, then reached down and caught the hem of her sundress in her fingers, tugging it over her head and draping it over her chair. She stepped out of her sandals and walked to the diving board, and every atom of her body seemed to vibrate with the intensity of his gaze on her. She wore a green and white striped bikini, the top tied behind her neck and the bottoms tied at her hips, and she had worn it specifically because she had known he would like those particular details.

She stretched before climbing up to the board, taking a deep breath, and then she dove, her heart soaring for those few seconds she was in freefall, keeping the lines of her body straight so that she slipped cleanly into the water. Even the few minutes she had been outside had left her roasting-hot, and the water was blissfully cool as she plunged into it. She swam easily to the edge of the pool, then ascended to the board again.

Once she tired of diving, she climbed out of the pool again, wrung out her streaming hair, then briskly toweled herself off. She sat down in the chair, then moved onto her stomach so the sun would help dry her hair faster.

She wasn't sure how long it took before his shadow passed over her, and she stretched, then slowly turned onto her back. She felt exposed, aware, under him, and she shaded her eyes so she could look up at his face.

"Hey," he said, and his lips curved up into a slow smile.

"Hey," she said, returning his smile with one of her own. "You have a break soon?"

"Give me five minutes."

When he returned she had put her sundress back on, and her hair was falling in damp waves over her bare shoulders. He took her hand and she laced her fingers between his as he led her to the thatch-roofed outdoor bar. He ordered a water for himself and a frozen strawberry lemonade for her, and they found a table in the sunshine, their hands still joined.

When they sat down, for a moment, she just gazed at him. He had taken his sunglasses off and she traced the familiar lines of his face, the classic square line of his jaw, his brow, his handsome, incredibly sexy eyes, his generous mouth.

He grinned at her. "Hey Nan."

"Hey," she said, and grinned back at him. "Having a good day?"

"Now I am," he told her, his fingertips stroking her hand before he released it. "So what brings you here?"

She made her expression as open and innocent as she could. "I... was wondering if you might want to go to Texas with me."

"Business or pleasure?"

Nancy took a sip of her lemonade. "Maybe a little of both."

\--

For once, Ned actually flew out to start on the case first. He arranged with Taylor Guzman to take a job working on his ranch, and when he called Nancy the night of his arrival, Ned was laughing.

"So I'm a cowboy now."

"Oh?" Nancy, who was sprawled across her bed in her father's house, twined the phone cord around her finger idly, imagining her boyfriend astride a horse.

She wasn't quite sure why, but in her mind's eye, he was immediately shirtless.

"Yeah. Pretty crazy, huh?"

"You didn't happen to meet any likely suspects, did you?" Nancy asked, trying to dismiss that particular image from her mind.

"None of them had well-waxed handlebar mustaches or obvious henchmen. Sorry, sweetheart." Ned chuckled.

"Well, I'm depending on you, Nickerson. Aaron is really worried that if we don't find this guy, the ranch might go under."

"I'll make you a deal," Ned said, then dropped his voice to a low whisper. "I'll work as hard as I possibly can, and with any luck we'll get this thing wrapped up as soon as you get out here—as long as you promise to stay here with me for a week after."

Nancy reflexively glanced at her closed bedroom door. "Ned..." she said softly.

"We could go out to Padre Island; it's not too far." His voice was low and gravelly, and Nancy shivered a little. "You could pack that little green-and-white bikini..."

"Ned," she said again, but more quietly. She was wavering.

"It's summer," he said. "And I want to see you, Nan, and when you're down here I'm going to have to pretend I don't know you until the case is finished..."

"Well, not all the time," she whispered, and despite herself, her lips curved up a little.

\--

Nancy had spent the days before her trip studying up, and when she stepped off the plane at the airport, she was Nancy Driscoll, a friend of Aaron's from college whose father was interested in expanding his own ranching operations into Texas. She was slightly relieved, but mostly disappointed, when Ned wasn't the ranch worker sent to the airport to collect her.

She liked the symmetry of being Nancy Driscoll again, but the insanely dry heat, the interminable length of the flight and the car trip, and her impatience to get started on the case made the trip out to the Guzman ranch nerve-racking. She used her cover identity to ask the ranch worker driving her out, Justin, about the usual daily tasks on the farm, then made careful notes. Whoever was stealing or sabotaging the ranch equipment either had a friend on the inside or some other way to be intimately familiar with the daily schedule, since Aaron had said his father had no idea who was responsible.

The Guzman ranch headquarters was a small, well-cultivated oasis surrounded by the sea on one side and an expanse of arid scrubland on the other. The house was large, a lovingly remodeled stately home Taylor Guzman had bought along with the property, and Nancy made a mental note of the location of the stables and the location of the low one-story building designated as the bunkhouse for the ranch workers.

"Nancy!" Charlotte, Aaron's sister, wore an ankle-length purple jersey dress, at least twenty bangles swinging on her slender wrist as she wrapped Nancy in a greeting hug. Her dark, glossy mane was pulled back into a thick ponytail. "Aaron told me so much about you, and I'm so glad to meet you! I'm sure you must be tired. Lemonade?"

"Lemonade would be great. And then I thought I might talk to Mr. Guzman for a while?"

"He went to the city, but after you get unpacked and we have lunch, he should be back." Charlotte threw her another grin. "I'm so glad you're here!"

The isolated location of the ranch meant that Charlotte had to drive to the nearest town for any entertainment whatsoever, and Nancy was sure Charlotte actually was overjoyed that she was there. At least now she would have someone her own age to talk to.

"Plus, maybe you can help me figure out how to get with someone," Charlotte murmured, her eyes dancing, as she took Nancy down the hall to a large guest room. The four-poster bed was spread with a vibrant traditionally-patterned quilt, the dresser and bedside table were decidedly rustic with their unfinished surfaces and vintage-iron hardware, and Nancy saw an actual set of real shutters on the large window. Charlotte crossed to the window and pushed it open, then folded the shutters back before quickly closing the window again. Nancy didn't blame her; the temperature in the house wasn't freezing, but it was definitely at least twenty-five degrees colder than the air outside. Opening the shutters gave the room a lovely golden spill of natural light, and Nancy put her bags down beside the bed, on a traditional woven rug.

"Get with someone?" Nancy repeated, thinking that Bess was definitely far more suited to that particular challenge.

"Yeah. Dad just hired this incredibly hot guy—I mean seriously hot. And he looks like he's about our age, too, instead of all these other forty-year-old guys who have been doing this so long their faces are starting to look like sunburned rawhide." Charlotte wrinkled her nose. "Anyway, I've been keeping an eye out for him, but I think he must be out on a tour today. I'll give you a wink when he's back, though. Maybe if I did something different with my _hair_...?"

Nancy chuckled as Charlotte wandered out of the room to make sure lunch was ready, and Nancy washed her face and brushed her teeth in the small hallway bathroom, then changed from her white capris and breezy pink-and-white blouse into a pair of dark jeans and a cream-colored button-down, just in case she was able to take a tour on horseback later. Before she left the room she ran a brush through her red-gold hair, applied another coat of lip gloss, and fastened the slender gold chain holding the heart-shaped locket Ned had given her at the nape of her neck. While a part of her knew men would probably be more likely to open up to her if she appeared to be single, if most of the guys _were_ forty-year-old weatherbeaten ranch hands, her eligibility would probably be the last thing on their minds. Plus she didn't expect the case to take very long, and she knew that when Ned saw the locket on her, he would definitely appreciate it.

She hadn't said for sure that she would accompany Ned to Padre Island after the case, but she had packed five swimsuits, and a part of her was already looking forward to lounging on the beach beside him, lulled by the sound of the waves lapping at their feet.

Lunch was light, given the heat outside, and after, while she waited for Taylor Guzman to return, Nancy went out to the stables with a notebook and an inquisitive expression, a pair of well-worn leather boots on her feet. She said hello to Justin, who told her that anytime she wanted to take a horse out, he would be glad to saddle one for her, if he was around. He introduced her to Jose, Warren, and Randall, who were a bit more reticent, a bit more eager to return to their tasks. According to Justin, Cole and Marvin were out taking a tour, but she could meet them later. Then Taylor's SUV pulled into the gravel driveway at the main house, and Nancy went back, promising Justin she would be back for a tour.

Taylor told Nancy about the thefts and sabotage in more detail, and in the process showed her a map of his property—and Nancy's heart sank a little in dismay. The sheer amount of land, some of it virtually unused, was daunting, and Taylor told her that his land bordered an abandoned silver mine as well. Nancy asked him if she could borrow a copy of the map, and he offered to have one laminated for her by dinnertime.

Taylor wasn't sure who was using his equipment or trespassing his land, but he was worried that they weren't up to anything good, and that use of his equipment—since some of it was stolen, then returned in unusable condition up to a week later—might make him look at least partially responsible.

By dinner, all the house staff, along with Nancy, Charlotte, Taylor, and Justin, were gathered around the large console television set in the tastefully appointed main room. When Hannah had found out Nancy was going to Texas, she had warned her that the hurricane season had started, and that she should be careful. A statuesque blonde meteorologist with a decided twang to her voice was standing in front of the local station's forecast map, indicating that a small but steadily strengthening hurricane was set to make landfall in the next forty-eight to seventy-two hours, depending on whether its speed stayed steady or not, and the prediction cone for its path included the Guzman ranch property.

"And _that's_ why we have real shutters," Charlotte told Nancy solemnly, nodding at the television set.

At least the main house looked sturdy enough, and the foundation was a few feet off the ground. The low bunkhouse, on the other hand, didn't look nearly as safe, and Nancy decided to find out as soon as she could where the ranch hands would be spending the bulk of the storm. She didn't want Ned being hurt on her case; that had already happened far too many times before.

"Well, we could definitely use the rain," Justin commented, trying to sound optimistic, but he looked worried.

The ranch hands apparently didn't eat in the main dining room with the rest of the family, and while Nancy was definitely anticipating getting started on the case first thing in the morning, doing as much exploring and sleuthing as she could before the hurricane made landfall and set her back by a few days, she was growing steadily more desperate with the need to see her boyfriend. Part of the reason she had invited him to accompany her on the case was so they could find some time to be alone, but as far as she could tell, thanks to Charlotte's perpetual slight pout, he had been out on the ranch all day long.

After dinner Nancy went to the kitchen to beg another glass of lemonade, and saw the men she had met earlier gathered around a large table, passing around plates stacked with cornbread, dipping out bowls of spicy beef-and-bean chili. Then the back door opened, and a florid-faced man swept off his battered cowboy hat, revealing a head of wispy blond hair. "Hope you guys left some for us!" he joked.

But Nancy's gaze was still fixed on the door, and her heart rose into her throat, pulsing hard when the other man swept off his own hat.

Ned wore a denim shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal his tanned forearms, a pair of dusty jeans, and battered leather boots. He hadn't bothered shaving that morning, and his square jaw was shaded with dark stubble.

Then Ned's eyes met hers, a second after her gaze had swept back up to his face, and Nancy had to remind herself to take another breath.

No wonder Charlotte had developed a crush. Even if Nancy had never known Ned before that _moment_ , just the sight of him like that was enough to leave her speechless.

"Hey, Marv, Cole," Justin said in greeting.

"And who's this?" Marvin asked with a smile.

"This is Nancy Driscoll," Justin introduced her. "Her daddy's thinking about expanding his operations down here and she just wanted to see how we do things on the ranch."

"Long as you promise not to give away our secrets," Marvin said with a wink, extending his hand. "Nice to meet you, Nancy. Marvin Bowden."

"And I'm Cole," Ned introduced himself in a low voice, the amusement dancing in his eyes meant only for her as he took her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Driscoll."

"Oooh, very formal," Justin joked as he rose to serve bowls of chili for Cole and Marvin.

Before Ned released her hand, she tightened her grip on him. _Later_? she barely mouthed. He gave her the slightest nod in reply, and then they released each other. Nancy picked up her lemonade and finished half the glass in one long swallow; she suddenly felt like she was burning up.

After dinner, though, the ranch hands headed out to their low bunkhouse to start prepping it for the approaching storm, and Nancy went to the small bathroom near her assigned room and took a cool shower, washing off the fine grit she could still feel clinging to her skin. She changed into a lightweight cotton tank top and shorts, waiting up just in case Ned found a chance to slip away, but when the rest of the household turned in for the night, she retreated to her own room, studying the map and swallowing her disappointment.

She had just made a list of four likely locations when she heard a soft tap at her window, so soft that she almost dismissed it as wishful thinking. When it was repeated a little louder, Nancy picked up a sturdy flashlight and walked over to the window, wishing she had something a little more substantial.

But Ned was standing there, his features golden in the light from her bedside lamp.

Nancy unlocked and pulled up the window and screen, and with minimal effort Ned lifted himself by his arms, then climbed over the sill into her room. He landed a little more solidly on the floor than he'd meant, and for a second Nancy shushed him, keeping on alert in case someone came to check on the sound.

When thirty seconds elapsed in silence, Nancy turned back to her boyfriend. "I think we're—"

She was cut off when Ned leaned down, pressing his lips to hers, and her eyes fluttered shut. "I've been wanting to do that all day," he whispered.

"I was thinking tomorrow..."

"After," he whispered, cupping her cheek as he kissed her again, more deeply this time. "We'll talk about it after."

Nancy and Ned had been dating for a long time, but they hadn't given in to the temptation to go to bed together until just before her eighteenth birthday. Even then they had taken things slowly, stealing opportunities to be together when she was at Emerson on cases or when his parents or her father and Hannah weren't home. They had made out until they were both breathless, their bodies entwined, their caresses growing bolder, without ever crossing that ultimate line.

And then, the night of the Emerson winter formal dance, barely six months earlier, they had almost died during one of her cases. The relief in their embrace, in the intensity of their kiss, had turned into something else, and he had made love to her for the first time that night.

And they had both been dying for it ever since. While she was still so tight, while their lovemaking left her tender afterward, even when she woke, he had been so gentle with her, and she had relaxed by degrees. Every time had been better for her, and then one morning, early, in his narrow bed at Omega Chi, she had finally been able to reach her climax while he was inside her.

Then Ned had come home for his summer break, and they had both been frustrated by the lack of opportunities to be alone. She didn't want to have sex in the backseat of either of their cars, although she had nearly become desperate enough to consider it. She was terrified that if she snuck Ned into her bedroom while her father was home, he would walk in on them; while Carson had been very candid and realistic the few times he had talked to his daughter about sex, Nancy was still positive that he would dismember Ned if he discovered what they were doing. Ned had assured her that his parents slept deeply, but she didn't want James and Edith Nickerson to discover them together, either.

Then Nancy had been asked to investigate the case in Texas—and it had been _perfect._

She slipped her arms up around her boyfriend's neck, her joy at feeling his arms around her again almost painful. Before they had ever had sex, some part of her had always felt attuned to him; now, though, now that she knew what it was to be joined to him, all of her felt alight when they were in the same room, as fierce and consuming as immolation. Whenever she and Ned were around her father now, she had to remind herself to breathe, remind herself not to stare at Ned, to keep her hands off him. She was terrified that one day her father would sense the change in her and ask her point-blank if she and Ned had been sleeping together, and that she wouldn't be able to lie to him, that she would blush and look at her feet, leaving him to infer what she couldn't say.

But for now, her father was thousands of miles away, and she had been counting the days, the minutes, almost the _seconds_ since she and Ned had been able to make love.

His tongue slipped into her mouth and she moaned quietly, gathering his shirt in her hands so she could pull it over his head. He caught the hem of her tank top and pulled it off her as well, then picked her up, boosting her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Their kisses were alternately rough and sweet, nipping and gentle, and Nancy felt herself flush as the join of her thighs pressed snug against his cock, already hard under his jeans. She shivered when he unhooked her bra, drawing it down her arms and letting it fall to the floor, then pushed one knee onto the bed.

She ran her fingers through his hair, tilting her head to kiss him again, the tip of her tongue teasing his. "Condoms?" she whispered against his lips.

He made a soft sound, shifting so he could dig in the pocket of his jeans, and tossed a handful of foil packets onto the bedspread. Then he ducked to brush his lips against the top of her breast, and when he laid her down, finally drawing her nipple into his mouth, she let out a soft delighted sigh.

They could hardly keep their hands off each other long enough to get the rest of their clothes off, but once they did, once Nancy had made sure the bedroom door was locked and the curtain pulled over the window, she laid down, her knees up and legs parted for him, her red-gold hair in a spill across the pillow. He knelt between her thighs, gazing down at her, and she shivered when the calloused pad of his thumb brushed against the tight, sensitive bud of her nipple.

"I love you so much, baby," he told her, his dark eyes alight with desire.

"I love you too," she whispered, running the backs of her fingers against the stubbled line of his jaw. When they were both naked, she always felt like she was about to come out of her skin, both nervous and euphoric at the prospect of making love to him.

He leaned down and kissed her, the warmth of his naked flesh pressed tight to hers, and Nancy's blush deepened. He didn't have the condom on yet, and when the underside of his bare cock brushed against the slick heat of her inner lips, they both shivered. She knew that they couldn't have unprotected sex, but just knowing that he could feel her, that she could feel _him_...

She moaned into his mouth as he rocked his hips against hers, and she ran her hands down his bare back, her fingertips pressing hard against the hard lines of his muscles.

"Mmmm," he murmured, and she shuddered when he arched, when his cock brushed against her clit. "Mmmm, keep doing that, baby."

"Keep doing _that_ ," she moaned, drawing her hands back up to his shoulder blades, kneading his muscles, her legs falling fully open as he rubbed against her.

"God, _Nan_..." He kissed her hard and she arched, and oh, the sensation of him against her clit was _so_ good. "I need you, baby..."

They kissed again and again, and she shuddered with every deliberate stroke of his cock against her sensitive inner flesh. Then he broke the kiss to nuzzle against her earlobe.

"You ready, sweetheart?"

"Yes," she moaned quietly. "Please."

He pulled back and then were both panting at the loss of contact, as he found one of the foil packets and tore it open.

Using condoms still made her a little nervous, but Nancy was afraid that if she went to her family doctor for a prescription for birth control, her father would find out, and even if she managed to get a prescription some other way, her father would still be able to find the pills. Every single time Nancy and Ned had had sex, they had used condoms coated with spermicidal lube, and Nancy had kept mental track of when she was probably ovulating, just in case. Other than the bleeding after the first few times they'd had sex, her period had stayed just as regular as before, to her infinite relief.

She really had liked the feel of his bare skin against hers, though—and she had already started considering going on the pill once she turned nineteen. While she knew her father would probably prefer that she wasn't having sex at all, he couldn't do much about the fact that she was, and if he had to choose between her being on birth control or having Ned's child while still a teenager, she was sure he would choose the former.

Ned rolled the condom on, and she rolled her hips when he arched over her again. His newly calloused hands against her soft hypersensitive skin, over the gentle curve of her breasts, made her pant in desperation, and she closed her eyes when she felt him guide the head of his cock to her opening.

"Open your eyes, baby," he whispered, his voice low and husky, and Nancy shivered a little when she obeyed him, drawing in a deep breath as he began to move inside her.

"God... oh, _Ned_ ," she breathed, wrapping her legs around him as he pinned her down. "Oh, oh, so good..."

"Mmmm." His lips brushed hers. "Oh, _God_ , baby, yeah... can you get on top?"

While she loved feeling him on top of her, he liked it better when she was on top—and feeling his hands all over her while she was riding him was always amazing. "Yeah," she whispered, then tipped her head back with a sharp gasp as he drove his cock fully between her legs. "Oh yes, oh _yes_..."

He rocked against her a few more times before he grasped her hips, and she let her legs fall open, then rolled over with him. She straddled him, her knees wide apart, then took a deep breath before she tilted backward, bracing her palms against the mattress behind her as she rocked down onto him.

"Oh holy _fuck_ ," Ned groaned quietly as she took his full length, and she shuddered when his thumb found her clit.

"Oh _yes_ ," she whimpered. " _Mmmm,_ don't stop."

He kept stroking her clit, and while she tried to make her thrusts steady just in case the condom was weak, soon she had her head tipped back, her hips bucking as she rode him. He reached up and caught one of her nipples between thumb and forefinger, tugging firmly, and she gasped, arching.

"Yeah," Ned breathed. "Oh hell yes, baby, oh that is _so good_..."

At the highest point of her next thrust she felt Ned tense under her, felt him slam his hips up against hers, and she moaned, trying to keep herself quiet. "God," she whimpered. "Oh God oh God ohhhhhh..."

"Shhh," Ned whispered, his voice harsh as he panted for breath. "Shhh, oh _fuck_."

Despite herself, Nancy had to chuckle, and then she tipped forward so she was able to gaze down at him. Oh _God_ , he was so gorgeous, and she had touched every inch of him, swirling the pads of her fingers over his skin one lazy Sunday morning in his bed at Omega Chi, and he had done the same to her until they were giggling, tickling each other... and then his mouth had been crushed to hers, two of his fingers slipped up between her thighs...

She drew in a sharp breath as she undulated over him, as he circled her clit with the tip of his thumb. " _God_ ," she sobbed softly. "More, more— _oh!_ "

The bedsprings creaked with their every thrust; if anyone was eavesdropping, there was no way they could play this off, especially when her hips began to jerk, driving her in short sharp thrusts against him. She was desperate, helpless as her orgasm rose higher and higher, and her brow knit, her mouth fallen open in a silent scream as her climax swept over her.

"Oh fuck _yes_ ," Ned panted, his hips still rocking up against hers as her inner flesh clenched tight around him, slick and pulsing as she came. "Oh God, _yes_..."

She closed her eyes when he followed, releasing inside her with a quiet groan. Then he stroked his thumb over her clit one more time and she gasped, collapsing against him. He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her as he pulled his hand from between them.

"Good, baby?"

"Mmmmm," she replied, nuzzling against his shoulder. " _Mmmmm_. Oh hell yes. Why is it that we aren't doing this every morning?"

"Because girls aren't allowed to live in my frat house," Ned said with a chuckle.

"You wouldn't sneak me in?"

"Hide you under the bed during room check? Rig a rope out of bedsheets so no one would see you doing the walk of shame in the morning?" He ran his hand over her hair.

"Something like that."

"If I woke up every morning to your face..." He tipped his head up to kiss the crown of her head. "Then it would definitely be worth it."

They lingered in each other's arms for a long moment, before she slid off him and reached for tissues to clean herself up. Ned disposed of the condom and cleaned himself up too, and when he came back to her bed they slid underneath the covers, Nancy curled up against her boyfriend's side, her cheek against his shoulder.

"I love you," she whispered.

Ned had one arm looped around her waist. "Love you too," he murmured, gently drawing his fingertips in slow circles over her skin.

"I'm so glad you were able to come here and help me."

"Me too, sweetheart."

She pushed herself up and the tips of her hair brushed against his shoulder as she kissed him, soft and sweet, her eyes closed. He returned it slowly, and when they broke, when her eyelids fluttered up again, the love and desire in his eyes made her melt a little.

"So do you have any suspects yet?"

Ned chuckled, threading his fingers through her hair. "I think Marvin's the least likely," he told her. "But that's just a gut feeling. I think the real trick might be figuring out what the motive is."

"Someone who wants to force them off and buy the land for cheap? A neighboring rancher? Someone with a vendetta against the Guzmans?"

"Any or all of the above? Or none of the above?"

"Well, Justin brought me here today and I talked to him, and I don't feel like he's the kind of guy who would do this, but...?" Nancy sighed. "I don't know. I just don't know. I think tomorrow I might get Randall to take me to the ocean side of the ranch, just in case there's any evidence that the equipment is being used out that way." She nuzzled against him. "Do you think the equipment _is_ being used?"

Ned shifted under her. "A week's a long time to take just to vandalize something," he pointed out. "Did you find out everything that was taken?"

"A brand-new heavy-duty pickup truck," Nancy said. "And I think that's what Taylor was most pissed about. A large trailer and a small trailer..."

"Taylor seemed like a stand-up guy when he interviewed me, but is it possible this is for some kind of insurance scheme?"

"Anything's possible." Nancy closed her eyes when Ned's fingertips gently moved against her scalp. "Mmm. In the morning I'll do a little follow-up and ask who the insurance adjustor is."

"Just be careful." Ned's voice was quiet, but firm.

"I will. Don't worry about me."

"I'll never be able to stop, sweetheart."

Despite herself, Nancy smiled. "So the storm is supposed to make landfall day after tomorrow, and that doesn't give us a lot of time. Is there anyone you haven't really spoken to yet, anyone you want to try tomorrow?"

"I'll see if I can get Jose to take me out on his ride in the morning." Ned groaned. "I swear, babe, the things I do for you... I woke up the morning after I started work here hurting in places I didn't even _know_ could hurt."

"Awww." Nancy kissed his chest. "I'm just going to have to make that up to you, then."

"Yes, you definitely are," Ned told her, and she felt a soft chuckle under her, in his chest. "And I'm not gonna let you leave this bed in the morning unless you tell me that we're definitely going to take that week together after this."

Nancy blushed just a little. While her father had never questioned it before, not really, if she and Ned went to Padre Island or a hotel anywhere after her case, and split a hotel room... well, she could just imagine that going over like a lead balloon. She could tell her father that she had stayed with a friend to explain why she hadn't paid for her own room... and she wouldn't exactly be lying, but she _hated_ the idea of lying to her father. They had always been honest with each other, and not telling her father about the change in their relationship already felt like lying.

"Nan?"

"Sorry," she murmured, pushing herself up to look into his eyes. "Just trying to figure out how we could get away with it without Dad figuring out that we're staying together."

"So that's the only thing stopping you?"

She nodded once, her gaze dropping to his mouth. "Yeah," she whispered, and Ned gave her a grin.

"Maybe I won't let you leave the bed anyway."

"Hey, the quicker we solve this case, the quicker we can head to the beach," she told him.

"Well, there is that," Ned admitted, cupping her head and drawing her down to him for a kiss.

"Speaking of," Nancy murmured against his lips. "I think Charlotte has a little crush on you."

Ned chuckled. "I kind of sensed that," he murmured, brushing his lips against her cheek. "What with the way she stares at me and everything."

"Mmm."

"Want me to tell her I have a steady back home?"

Nancy paused. "I... kinda, yeah," she admitted.

Ned rolled so Nancy was pinned under him. "You jealous, Drew?"

"A little." He leaned down and brushed the tip of his nose against hers, as they gazed directly into each other's eyes.

"You shouldn't be," he whispered. "She's pretty... but she is nowhere near as gorgeous, as amazing, as _sexy_ as you are."

Nancy chuckled. "Really," she said, skeptically.

"Really," he confirmed, his voice so low and intense that it sent a shiver down her spine. "Really, sweetheart. She never had a chance. My heart belongs to someone else."

She swallowed the lump of tears she could feel rising in her throat, threading her fingers through his hair as he leaned down to give her a slow, sweet kiss.

"And my heart belongs to you," she whispered, wrapping herself around him as he kissed her again.

They fell asleep in each other's arms after discussing the case for a while longer, and while Nancy was just a little frustrated that they didn't have any great leads yet, she also loved the endless possibilities in front of them. While she didn't think Charlotte would be involved—the ranch was her livelihood, too, until she found a career—stranger things had happened, and if she had a crush on Ned, he'd be able to get close to her, feel her out, see if she was acting strange.

Not that Nancy was in any way looking forward to it.

Ned had Nancy set her travel alarm to go off very early, and when it did, she groggily slapped it to shut it up. He had to get back to the bunkhouse; if any of the other ranch hands noticed he was gone, they would wonder why, and thanks to his cover, he couldn't just say he had been visiting his girlfriend in the main house.

Ned was spooned up behind her, and his large warm palm drifted over her belly. "I don't want to leave," he whispered, his voice gravelly with sleep.

She put her hand over his, her head buzzing with exhaustion. "I don't want you to either," she whispered.

"Mmm." Ned's hips shifted behind hers, and his erection brushed against her ass, through her cotton shorts.

Nancy closed her eyes, reaching for the waistband of her shorts after a few seconds of deliberation. "I hope you brought a _case_ of condoms, Nickerson."

"Let's just say I don't plan on packing very many for the trip home," he murmured, slipping his boxers off again.

The day dawned bright and anxiously still and terribly hot; Nancy had been surprised at how hot it still was when Ned had climbed through her window to return to the bunkhouse, and when she rose a few hours later, it felt worse. She dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved cotton shirt to protect herself against the heat and the elements, and after she arranged with Randall to tour the eastern part of the ranch on horseback after he finished his morning chores, she met with Taylor. He was in a hurry to finish organizing the preparations for the storm, but when she asked him about his insurance claims, he talked about them easily enough. He had been disappointed that they had provided so little compensation for the damaged and missing equipment. She didn't sense that he was lying about it, just that he was frustrated with the whole situation.

On a hunch, Nancy asked if any of his stock had gone missing. Taylor shook his head. Other than the usual losses due to illness or injury, his stock was in good shape.

Charlotte was in the large living room when Nancy went back through the house to grab her supply bag for her ride with Randall. "I was hoping you weren't going to be all work and no play," Charlotte said, giving Nancy a playfully pleading look.

Nancy laughed. "I just want to find out as much as I can before the storm hits," she said truthfully.

"Which reminds me. There's a club in the town, and while I'm sure it's not nearly as awesome as what you're used to, at least it's something—and I thought you might like to go tonight? Since otherwise we'll be stuck here watching the weather report and playing cards until the lights go out."

Nancy tilted her head, considering. She and Ned had plans to look for clues that night, but they were most likely going to have to wait until everyone was in bed again—and that included Charlotte. "I don't know..."

"Oh, come on, _please!_ " Charlotte said, bouncing up and down slightly on the couch. "Seriously, Nancy, you have no idea how boring it is around here, and once you go home..." She sighed dramatically.

Despite her irritation over Charlotte's crush on Ned, Nancy couldn't help liking her. "Okay," Nancy relented, and Charlotte let out a squeal of glee.

" _Yessss!_ And I was thinking I could ask Cole too... and if you're going too it's like it isn't a date, and that way I can get some time to talk to him..."

Nancy's stomach clenched, but she nodded. "Sure," she said, keeping her tone light. "That mean we're dressing up, then?"

"Definitely. Do you need to borrow a dress or anything?"

Nancy shook her head slowly. "No... I think I can dig up something," she said, knowing that Charlotte wouldn't understand the significance of the gleam in her eye.

Nancy's supply bag was thanks to all her years of sleuthing. She had packed a large thermos of water, a lightweight rain jacket she could also use for protection from the sun, a large bag of trail mix, the map Taylor had given her, a flashlight, a bandanna, and an instant camera. On a whim she threw her lockpick kit in as well. If she needed it, at least she would have it; if she didn't take it, she knew she would regret it. A bottle of sunscreen and a tube of lip balm later, she was ready.

Nancy and Randall were in the barn saddling their horses for the ride when Ned and Jose returned from theirs. Jose called something to Ned, and Ned nodded, easily swinging down from the saddle. Both Ned and the horse were obviously hot; Ned's skin gleamed with sweat, and as Nancy watched, utterly unable to look away and not giving a damn if Randall noticed her staring, Ned unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt, pulling it away from his body. Nancy was deeply disappointed when he didn't strip the shirt off, but then he gulped down two cups of water. He took a palmful and splashed it on his face, and a few drops slid down the stubbled line of his jaw, over his adam's apple, down to the collar of his denim shirt.

Nancy swallowed hard, forcing herself to look at the horse again, to make sure the stirrups were at the right height. She couldn't resist taking another glance back at him, though, and for the half-second his eyes met hers, she saw a small smirk on his face.

She couldn't say that she had ever honestly felt any fascination with the idea of Ned in costume, but seeing him this way, not just dressed as a cowboy but actually _being_ one, feeling the callouses on his hands when they had made love the night before—that was doing something to her. Before she and Randall set off Nancy gave Ned the smallest flutter of her fingers in farewell.

And straddling the horse was a _bitch_ after she'd been riding Ned the night before.

But she liked the idea, she discovered, even if it did feel like playacting. While she talked to Randall about the size of the ranch, eventually working her way to questions about the theft and damage of the equipment, part of her was daydreaming. A small, simple house for them alone, Ned spending his days taking care of the ranch while she solved mysteries. Coming home and talking over their days while they ate together, then joining Ned in the shower, scrubbing the dust and sweat and grit off him before he lifted her in his arms and carried her to their bed, those calloused fingers finding, teasing, caressing every sensitive part of her. Letting herself cry out as loud as she wanted when he finally slipped home inside her, bringing her just to the edge of her release before he let her come, then followed.

Hell. Even if the second she disembarked from the plane her father asked her where she had spent the week, there was no way she _couldn't_ spend it with Ned. No way. If she could have that uninterrupted time with him, she had to take it.

Randall answered her questions easily enough, although his mild condescension grated on her nerves. He was clearly amused that she was bothering to ask him anything about the daily routine on the ranch or about the issues unique to this specific part of Texas. He blamed stupid high schoolers playing pranks on the damage to the equipment, and when Nancy asked how easy it would be for anyone to get away with the equipment, Randall shrugged and said they were sneaking onto the property in the dead of night when everyone was asleep and stealing whatever they could. They couldn't keep the equipment for very long without parents asking questions, though, so that explained why the equipment made it back, and why it was inevitably damaged when it was. The pickup truck in particular had come back covered in dust, but Nancy could already tell that just the fact alone was no clue. It only told her that the vehicle had been in the open, not in a garage.

When Nancy and Randall came back to the main house, Nancy was drenched in sweat, her scalp damp with it. Randall had his own chores to get back to, especially since everyone had been preparing for the impending hurricane, and Nancy paused in front of the television, catching up on the weather report. The storm had strengthened, and the cone had narrowed further. The edges were near the Guzman property, but as Charlotte told her, the rain bands at the outer extremes of the storm sometimes caused the worst damage. That, and any tornadoes that might spin off from the eye.

"And! And!" Charlotte's mood shift was enough to give Nancy whiplash. The other girl's eyes were alight as she clapped, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Cole said he'd go with us tonight!" She displayed bright, even teeth in a wide grin. "And it's a good thing you're going with me, too—I think he would've been too freaked out if it had just been me and him. He looked like he was going to say no until I told him you'd be coming too."

Nancy hid her smile. "Well, that's good, then."

"You're not gonna be upset if I leave you to your own devices, try to get him out on the dance floor?" Charlotte asked, that pleading look back on her face.

"I'll just have to find something else to occupy me," Nancy said with a dramatic sigh. "So, since you're actually dragging Cole to the club, does that mean there aren't generally hot guys there?"

Charlotte shrugged. "Depends. I just want to get to know him, you know? And even if he's only here for the summer..." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe that's a good thing, you know?"

Nancy bit the inside of her cheek to keep from giving herself away. "Maybe," she said neutrally, then headed back to her room to grab some clean clothes and hit the shower.

Dinner was chicken, slow-roasted and wrapped in corn tortillas, then topped with a tangy salsa verde. While they ate Taylor listened indulgently to his daughter's happiness over the prospect of going into town, and seemed appreciative that Nancy was taking the time to go with her. Charlotte went into the kitchen just to confirm that Cole was still planning on going, and Nancy used the excuse of getting a drink refill to go into the kitchen as well.

Ned's eyes met hers. He had been working until late; he was still eating when Nancy walked in, and she could see the sweat still dark on his shirt. But she could read his expression. He had said yes to Charlotte's invitation because Nancy was going along, but if she gave him the sign, he would find some excuse to call it off.

Nancy gave him a faint smile, and he relaxed slightly. Charlotte was fully aware that the rest of the ranch hands were watching, so she was vague when she asked Cole if he would still be able to help her with that errand, and he nodded.

Charlotte had her own car, a sporty, efficient red two-door. They agreed to meet there thirty minutes after dinner, and Charlotte was already jingling the keys in her hand when she came to Nancy's room to let her know she was ready. When Nancy opened the door, Charlotte's gaze fell on the locket still around Nancy's neck.

"Your necklace is pretty," Charlotte told her.

"Thanks," Nancy said, making sure she grabbed her small clutch before closing her bedroom door. "You look really great."

Charlotte grinned and spun in a small pirouette, leading the way out to her car. "Thanks!" she chirped in reply. Her dress was short, the fabric boldly and colorfully printed, and she wore a pair of strappy wedge sandals with it. On another girl the dress would have been too loud or busy, but on Charlotte, somehow, it worked; she looked bright and fun and overjoyed.

"So is that a locket? Is there a picture inside?" Charlotte said, her eyes dancing as she glanced back at Nancy.

Ned's photo was inside, but Nancy didn't want to tell Charlotte that. "Let's just say there's a guy who definitely wants his picture to be in here," she said, and that was truthful, if just a little misleading.

"I'm sure he's great," Charlotte said. She was practically skipping down the stairs to get to her car, she was so impatient to get to the club.

"He is," Nancy said softly, knowing that Charlotte wasn't even listening anymore, but Nancy didn't care. All she wanted to see was Ned's face when he saw what she had changed into after dinner.

Nancy had packed the blue dress, a particular favorite of Ned's, just in case they decided to go to a romantic dinner after the case was over. Even though she knew that Ned wasn't feeling tempted by Charlotte's obvious attention, Nancy had still decided to just give him a little reminder of what he already had, just in case.

And she wasn't disappointed by his reaction. Ned was already waiting near Charlotte's car, in a clean pair of jeans and a button-down, freshly showered and shaved, and he looked up when they approached, but his gaze only stayed on Charlotte for a second before moving to Nancy. They knew they couldn't reveal their relationship, not even around Charlotte, but his gaze darkened with recognition and desire when it fell on Nancy, and it lingered for far too long. When Charlotte spoke and Ned had to ask her what she had said, Nancy realized she hadn't heard it either. In that brief space of heartbeats, when their gazes had been locked together, the whole rest of the world had felt like it ceased to exist.

"I guess you'll have to ride shotgun," Charlotte told Ned again. "With those long legs of yours."

Ned was very conscientious of Nancy's comfort when he adjusted the seat to accommodate his tall frame, making sure he wasn't depriving her of leg room in the process. Charlotte told Nancy she was welcome to sit behind the driver's seat, but Nancy said she was fine behind the passenger seat. They all buckled in and Charlotte flipped through the radio stations until she found one she liked, then put the car in gear and practically shot out of the driveway, crowing with bubbling enthusiasm.

Charlotte had just asked Cole about himself when Nancy felt something against her knee. She looked down and saw Ned's hand, his fingertips lightly brushing her skin. She knew she shouldn't, but she also knew that she couldn't help it; she reached down and wrapped her fingers around his hand, and her heart leapt at the contact. Even if she couldn't see his eyes, just the feel of his skin against hers brought an almost painful joy to her heart. She gently stroked her fingertips against his calloused palm and fingers, idly listening to his constructed backstory. She traced her soft fingertips up over the sensitive flesh of his inner wrist and his fingers clenched, his voice going a shade deeper.

God, she wished they were alone. She didn't want to go to some club and try to pretend she didn't want him, when he was _all_ she wanted. If they finished up their search early tonight, they would have some time to spend together before they absolutely had to sleep—although she knew that if she had any intention of finding clues tomorrow, it would have to be in the morning, before the storm made landfall and confined them all to the house for a while. Ned would be with her in the house, waiting out the storm too, and she had no idea how she would be able to hide the sheer need she felt for him, especially when he was so close.

"So does this place have drinks?" Ned asked, squeezing Nancy's hand gently again. "I brought my fake ID just in case."

"It does," Charlotte confirmed with a toss of her dark, glossy hair, "and I brought mine too. Nancy?"

Nancy shook her head. "Sorry. Guess I'll just have to be designated driver."

"Really?" Charlotte's eyes were dancing, though. "I mean, just one drink, maybe?"

Nancy shook her head. "My dad would kill me if I got caught drinking underage, _or_ drinking and driving," she said. "It's okay, really. I don't mind."

Charlotte was both very happy to be out and nervous that Nancy and Cole would be disappointed in the club. The town was small, and the club was small as well; it looked like recently-converted retail space, but the sound system was decent, the DJ acceptable. Nancy was amused when the guy at the door inked a thick black X on the back of her hand so she couldn't buy any alcoholic drinks, and Charlotte and Ned were able to get through with their fake IDs with no problem. Ned ordered a beer and Charlotte an appletini, and Nancy took a diet soda. They took a seat at the bar side, far enough from the DJ stand that they could actually hear each other speak, and soon Charlotte was on her second drink, while Ned was still nursing his beer. On occasion, especially at fraternity parties, Nancy had seen Ned belt them back, and so she knew he had no intention of getting drunk at the club, no matter how Charlotte encouraged him to finish his drink and order another. Charlotte was hoping it would help him loosen up, but when he shrugged and said he was fine, especially since he would have to help with those last-minute tasks on the ranch before the storm hit, Charlotte gave in, but Nancy could see she wasn't happy about it.

Charlotte tried to give Nancy a meaningful look, and Nancy knew what she wanted—and she really didn't want to give it to her. But she finished her drink anyway, giving Ned a slow wink. She had had to claim the chair as far away from him as possible; she was afraid that if they were sitting close to each other, Ned's fingers would find her knee, the hem of her dress, her hand, and find some way to give them away to Charlotte.

"Think I'll get another drink," Nancy said, glancing between Charlotte and Ned, trying to put an encouraging look on her face, one she really didn't feel.

Nancy went to the restroom, then to the bar, ordering another diet soda. When she looked back at the table, Charlotte was clearly trying to wheedle something out of Ned, and Nancy read the almost resigned expression behind his agreement as he followed Charlotte out to the small, strobe-lit dance floor. Other couples were out dancing against each other, hips grinding, arms up in the air. Ned didn't get nearly that close to Charlotte; he was polite, but he moved with an easy rhythm, and Nancy found it incredibly difficult to rip her gaze away from him. She took her drink back to the table, hoping that the distance would make it easier to watch, but it didn't. For not the first time on their trip she asked herself miserably why she had insisted that they didn't know each other for their covers—but it made sense. Anyone who knew they were together, who connected the questions they were asking, would be wary and unlikely to answer any more.

That didn't make it any easier, though. Not when she wanted Ned's hips swaying in toward _hers_ , not Charlotte's.

Nancy made it halfway through her drink before she went to the restroom again, this time to splash herself with a little cool water. The club was cooler than the still, stifling air outside, but not by much, and that plus her irritation at having to watch Ned with another woman was making her feel overheated.

A red-lit Exit door drew her attention when she walked out of the bathroom. She didn't see any alarm on it, and her hand was already marked so she could come back in. She just wanted a little air, though, and she was just a little scared the soft, slow ballad the DJ put on meant that Charlotte would draw Ned into her arms, press her curvy body up against his, tip her head back so her dark eyes could stare into his face...

Nancy shook her head. It didn't matter if Ned was dancing with her. Nancy would make sure that while they were at Padre Island, or wherever they ended up, that they would go dancing, just so she could show Ned exactly what she wanted to do right now.

"Babe?"

Nancy had been thinking so hard that when she heard Ned's voice, softly, in the dark, she jumped a little. "Hey," she said, panting her breath back. "God, you scared me."

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay—I got scared when you weren't at the table." He moved in front of her, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of her red-gold hair behind her ear.

While she loved the feel of him so close to her, she shook her head slightly, and he sighed when he dropped his hand to his side again.

"Babe... God, I want to dance with you."

She gave him a soft, sad smile. "Well, we can't in front of Charlotte..."

"So we won't, in front of Charlotte."

A large trash disposal container stood behind the club, a light over the back door and a tall streetlamp providing strong illumination, but a small stand of medium-height scrubby trees had been left at the edge of the parking lot. Ned took her hand and led her there, and while she knew she shouldn't, God, she wanted to feel Ned's arms around her.

And when they were screened from view, when he touched her, when she slipped her arms up around his neck and he cupped her waist, they gazed into each other's eyes, their lips curving up slightly. They could still hear the beat coming from inside the club, even if they couldn't actually hear the music.

"One song," she told him reluctantly.

"One," he agreed, leaning down, and he gently touched his forehead to hers. Nancy closed her eyes and her body swayed with his as they moved to the beat, his breath against her lips.

"I've missed this so much," he whispered.

"Me too," she admitted, tipping her head so her lips were just brushing against his as she spoke. "God, I hated seeing you out there with her."

"I hated that you had to see it," he whispered. "Because you're the only woman I want in my arms, Nan."

They kissed softly, over and over, and he kept one hand wrapped snug around her waist as he brought the other up to stroke her hair. He ran his fingertips down the line of her spine, his skin warm through the thin fabric, and Nancy shivered.

"You look so gorgeous."

"And you... God, Ned." Nancy's eyes were low-lidded as she swayed against him. "When I saw you waiting at the car..."

Ned chuckled. "When I saw you this morning, after my ride, God, I thought you were going to tackle me."

"I would have," she admitted. She thought again of her daydream, blushing a little. "You looked so incredibly sexy."

Ned nuzzled against her neck and she shivered against him. "So I still get you hot, Drew?"

"You always have," she told him, drawing his face to hers for a kiss.

Too soon their dance was over, and she very reluctantly released him, letting him go back inside without her so Charlotte wouldn't be as suspicious. By the time Nancy followed, Charlotte had noticed her absence and asked if she was all right. Then she introduced Nancy to Stephen, a guy she knew from high school who was also at the club. The obvious interest in Stephen's eyes when Nancy was introduced to him only made her sigh internally, but she put on a polite smile.

Then Stephen asked if she wanted to dance, and while everything in her wanted to tell him no, Charlotte practically insisted. Stephen was a decent dancer, but Nancy could feel Ned's gaze on her the entire time she was on the dance floor—and a part of her was thrilled by it. She thanked Stephen for the dance and practically as soon as she returned to the table, Ned was yawning, saying that he definitely needed to get back, given all they needed to do in the morning.

The entire way back to the Guzman ranch, Nancy and Ned held hands behind the passenger seat, even as Charlotte thanked them for coming and declared that they should definitely go back—assuming the storm damage wasn't too bad. Ned wished them both a good night and headed to the bunkhouse as soon as Charlotte parked, and once he was out of sight, Charlotte turned to Nancy.

"So apparently he has a girl back home," Charlotte said, her expression prettily disappointed. "Why are all the good ones taken?"

"I don't know," Nancy said, trying to make her expression mournful as a warm glow filled her. "That sucks, though. But he is really cute. I can't say I'm surprised."

Charlotte nodded. "He was a really good dancer, too," she said dreamily.

Nancy shook her head, chuckling as she wished Charlotte a good night and headed to her own bedroom.

The night before, Nancy and Ned had agreed to sneak out at one o'clock if they could. Nancy dressed in a long-sleeved tissue-thin black t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans and boots, making sure her bag was packed and ready. At twelve-fifty-five she was so keyed up that she was afraid she would just come out of her skin if she didn't get out, so she slowly began to push the window and screen up. To make sure she could get back inside, she left a pencil wedged between the window and the sill.

Nancy had been aware of it all day long, but the strange quality in the stillness was almost eerie. The faintest breeze touched her face, but the night was still incredibly warm. Nancy headed over to the barn, and only because she was listening very carefully did she hear her boyfriend approach.

He shook his head when their eyes met. "I couldn't get to it," he murmured.

That had been his goal for the night, to see how easy it would be to steal the keys to the other pickup. Granted, Taylor probably had more precautions in place now than he'd had during the original theft, but it had been a lead anyway.

Nancy sighed. "Anyone not in his bed in the bunkhouse?"

"Justin and Warren," Ned replied. "But then maybe they're out drinking, since tomorrow is going to totally suck." He shook his head.

Together they checked on the equipment, but nothing seemed to be missing. Nancy asked how things had gone with Jose, and Ned said he had been fine. "I don't know; I just don't get the sense that any of them are out to get Taylor or anything. I don't think sheer malice is the motive."

"Greed, then?"

"But greed for what?"

Ned had taken her hand and was guiding her past the barn and the bunkhouse, and they were moving pretty swiftly, but she wasn't sure of their destination. She hadn't wanted to go back to the house so soon unless he was coming with her, and without their own vehicle, Nancy wasn't sure how they could follow either Justin or Warren, or even where they might be.

But at least no more equipment was missing. Not yet, anyway.

They talked through the possibilities. "We could split up tomorrow," Nancy suggested. "I'll get Warren to take me to the western side, you stick with Justin, see if we can get them to slip up."

Ned frowned. "Nan..."

"What?"

He shook his head. "If you go out and he's dangerous, and he knocks you out and leaves you somewhere during the storm..."

Nancy shook her head. "Then he'll get back and you'll come and find me," she said lightly, squeezing his hand.

"I would," he said softly. "I would, sweetheart. But if he's the person behind it... I just hate the thought of you getting in over your head."

"I won't. I'll be all right, Ned. I'll even make sure I take my pepper spray."

Ned chuckled. "Well, thank God. Now I'll sleep like a baby."

"Speaking of sleeping like a baby..." Nancy glanced around. "Where are we going?"

"To check out a hunch I had, that I couldn't earlier."

"Oh."

The main road out to the ranch was nothing more than a wide dirt trail, but it was well-marked and designated. Ned guided her to a curve in the road—and then she saw what had caught his attention. If the culprit was careful, he or she could park a stolen vehicle under nearby cover, then easily pull onto the road when the coast was clear.

That implied stolen goods to Nancy—but Taylor had indicated that his stock was in good shape, and Nancy couldn't imagine that the culprit was satisfied with culling the usual sick and injured animals to make some kind of profit.

They checked out the hiding place and found the baked-in indentation of a tire tread and the impression of a boot. Nancy crowed in delight, pulling out her camera.

"We don't know when these were left," Ned said, clearly trying to keep from getting too optimistic. "Or why."

Nancy shrugged. "You've been here—is there a way these tracks could legitimately be here, based on everything you know?"

Ned shook his head slowly. "Not that I know of," he said slowly.

Nancy frowned. "I don't have a ruler for scale," she said pensively. "Hey, could you hold the flashlight, and put your foot next to the footprint?"

Without the proper materials, Nancy couldn't make an impression of the print, but she could at least record the patterns the sole of the shoe had left in the dirt. She took three different photos, then carefully put them and her camera away again. The print looked like it was the same size as Ned's foot, so at least that gave them a scale to go by.

Ned took her hand after they painstakingly searched the rest of the area, but found nothing so helpful as a scrap of paper or unique cloth. They began the walk back toward the main house, but Nancy was distracted, considering different scenarios to explain the print—and then she noticed the duffel bag slung over Ned's arm.

"What's that?" she asked, nodding at the bag. "You planning on staying over?"

"Something like that," Ned said with a chuckle.

She had noticed that they weren't heading directly back, and their steps slowed as they approached the edge of a field. Out here, so far away from the light pollution of the city, with the flat land spread out around them and no buildings nearby, the sky felt almost infinite, a cold deep black scattered with the glittering pinprick of distant stars. Nancy tipped her head back, coming to a stop, and Ned gently squeezed her hand.

"Beautiful, isn't it," he said softly.

"It is," she whispered. "Wow."

When Ned released her hand she glanced over at him. He had put his duffel on the ground and was unzipping it, pulling out a thick, heavy, rough-textured blanket.

"What...?"

Ned stood, shaking the blanket out. "I thought maybe we could stargaze for a while," he told her, but the intensity of his gaze said something a little different.

"I can't remember the last time we did that," she said a little wistfully, then helped him spread out the blanket. He had brought a thin worn sheet too, to spread over it. Then they sat down, taking their shoes off before they stretched out on their backs. The night was still so warm that just the blanket under her was almost enough to make her start sweating.

His fingers brushed hers and she took his hand. "When you were dancing with that guy tonight," Ned said softly, his thumb stroking the back of her hand, "you have no idea how much I wanted to go over there..."

"I think I do," Nancy said, a hint of laughter in her voice, as they gazed up into the sky.

They had never really talked about it all that much, but then sometimes it felt like that was all they talked about, the guys she met on cases, the handsome college students and police officers and artists and rock stars who were intrigued by Nancy's intelligence and good looks, who took every opportunity they could to hit on her. When she had been younger, it had almost been funny, but a part of her had found it exciting. They didn't just treat her like some inquisitive high school student to be tolerated or ignored. They didn't talk down to her. But then they didn't exactly talk _up_ to her, either. Nancy had lost track of the number of dates she had turned down, especially once she was out of high school and could travel to New York or California or Europe the moment her father said it was okay, most of the time leaving her boyfriend behind.

Because Ned couldn't do that. The entire time they had been a couple he had been in school, at Mapleton High or Emerson College, and she had always been proud of him for how seriously he took his academic career. That didn't make it easier to turn those guys down, though.

And then, after the winter formal, after she and Ned had slept together that first time, suddenly it was different. Before that moment, she had seen their relationship as a part of who she was. They were together because they complemented each other so well; Ned was more cautious where she was daring, he was brave when she was in danger, and he was able to see angles in her cases where she couldn't. His exasperation over her cases, though, had made her think that they would grow apart, and while he had been such a major part of her life for so long, while she had known she would probably always love him, she had expected that each of them would find someone else. Ned would fall for a gorgeous, vivacious girl whose idea of a good time was hanging out at Omega Chi and getting drunk with the guys, and Nancy would find a strong, handsome guy whose idea of a good time was solving mysteries. What she and Ned had together, as much as she loved it, wouldn't last.

And then they had slept together, and she had realized that somewhere along the way, she had completely fallen for him. She had known that she loved him; her heart had always skipped a beat when their gazes met, and she had never been able to imagine finding a guy who was anywhere near as caring or loving as he was, but then, after that night, she had known without a shadow of a doubt that he had her heart, and there would be no drifting apart, no easy breakup. They were knit to each other now and she couldn't lose him without losing a part of herself.

It was one of the most exhilarating and one of the most terrifying things she had ever known. She had always thought her soul mate would be someone like Frank Hardy, and that Ned would finally get fed up with her and move on to someone easier, but she was slowly realizing that maybe that was their strength. Ned didn't hate her cases; Ned hated the fact that the woman he loved was in danger, and she couldn't really find it in her to be upset with him over that. And she wanted him by her side. She wanted to know what life would be like if they were together, _really_ together, if they weren't limited to school breaks and summer vacations. She wanted to see what the rest of her life would be like with him in it.

She just hadn't found it in her to say the words.

When he had proposed to her during their stroll overlooking the Muskoka River, she hadn't been ready for forever, but then she hadn't known the way his body would fit with hers, the hunger and need that his touch could wake in her. She couldn't let herself think about losing him, not anymore; when they had made love, it had all become so real to her, and she had wondered if this was the way Ned had felt the entire time, and she just hadn't known. When they were in each other's presence now, the rest of the world ceased to matter quite so much, and she felt both incredibly nervous and more relaxed than she was around anyone else. He had seen her, known her, touched all of her, had seen her boneless and sated in the wake of her release, had slept naked in her arms.

And she loved him. She loved him and she knew that he was what she needed, for the rest of their lives. She wasn't quite ready to give up her freedom yet, but she had finally realized that being with Ned wasn't giving up her freedom. It was the opposite.

"I love this," she whispered, and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Stargazing?" She heard the soft chuckle in his voice.

"Being with you," she told him. "Having you here to help me and knowing that together we're going to get to the bottom of this case. And just being able to breathe and spend time with you."

"Breathing is good," he murmured, rolling onto his side, and then he looked down at her. His fingertips came up to brush her cheek. "I love this too."

"Even though we aren't naked?" She said it lightly, even though it had been one of the things that had concerned her before they had ever made love. If they did it once, she was sure he would always expect it from her, and she hadn't known if she would like that. But that was the thing about Ned. If she said she was tired or that she didn't want to, he was disappointed, but he didn't give her a guilt trip over it. They had had a relationship before they had ever had sex; that didn't just vanish because she had let him see her naked.

She could count on one hand the number of times she had turned him down, though. Even the barest brush of his fingertips over her skin made her feel like she was alight inside.

"Even though we aren't naked," he confirmed. "Although, can I tell you something?"

"Yeah," she whispered, gazing into his eyes.

"I always thought it would be incredibly romantic to make love under the stars."

She smiled at him. "Are you saying you want to test that theory?"

"Only if it won't ruin the mood."

"I think the mood can keep up," she told him, reaching up to draw his face down to hers.

With the first brush of his lips against hers, Nancy felt an almost painful awareness of him rise in her. He didn't pin her down, but he almost did, and she drew her fingers through his hair, shivering a little whenever his shirt brushed the tips of her breasts. He propped himself up so he could kiss her while he stroked his fingertips down her side, moving slowly until they brushed the hem of her shirt, then began to inch it up.

Nancy broke the kiss when he pushed her shirt up to just beneath her breasts, then cupped one through her bra. "Condoms?"

"In the bag," he confirmed, kissing her again, his tongue swirling against hers. He rubbed his thumb against her nipple through the bra, and she flushed a little, bending her knee to draw her leg up.

"So you planned this," she whispered, her lips curving up a little.

"Hey, always be prepared," he teased her back, then began to pull her shirt over her head.

They took it slow, gentle, and for once Nancy wasn't worried about their being discovered, or of her father or anyone else interrupting. Ned rolled onto his back and Nancy rolled with him, the tips of her hair brushing his cheeks as she kissed him again. He cupped her through her bra, then slipped his palm underneath to run against her bare breast, and she surged against him, settling her hips against his.

Ned kissed her again as he unfastened her jeans, sliding the zipper down, and cupped her through her panties, and she flushed a little, grinding against his hand. "Mmmm," she moaned, unbuttoning his shirt, aching to feel his skin against hers.

They were both down to their underwear, Nancy's breasts bare in the moonlight, sitting up facing each other, when Ned drew her onto his lap, smiling when she straddled him. He kissed her breathless, and she moaned against his lips when he rubbed his thumbs over her nipples, fondling the sensitive flesh. Then he laid her down, her red-gold hair spilling against the pale sheet as he began to kiss his way down, over her breasts, over her belly, to the join of her thighs. He peeled her panties down and she flushed a little, glancing around one last time before she opened her legs fully to him.

She was still amazed that Ned ever wanted to go down on her, but she loved it. She twisted her fingers in his hair, arching her hips up to give him better access, and trembled with every swipe of his tongue against her clit, every brush of his lips against the slick folds of her inner flesh. When he slipped two fingers up into her sex she cried out, panting for breath, her hips jerking as she undulated against him.

"Oh yes, oh my God _yes_ ," she begged him, groaning when he curved his fingers inside her. "Oh yes yes _yes_..."

He nuzzled and licked and nipped at her, kissing her inner thighs as he kept fingering her, and when he rubbed the stubble on his chin against her clit, she tipped her head back and cried out, over and over until she was tense with need, her fingernails digging against the sheet until she was almost screaming. Ned pulled back and gazed down at her, his fingers still working between her thighs, and she rolled her hips, flushed and panting with arousal.

"Feel good, baby?"

Nancy's brow was creased, her lips parted as she nodded. "Oh my God, _yes_ ," she moaned, and when he slipped his fingers out of her, she cried out in frustration and disappointment.

"Just a sec," he promised, leaning over to dig inside the duffel bag.

It only took him half a minute to find a condom, rip open the packet and roll it on, and Nancy was ready to beg him when he cupped her hips, lifting her up. She pushed herself up on her elbows, her weight on the balls of her feet, spreading her legs wide to give him plenty of room, and she shook when he stood on his knees and fitted himself just inside her, then pressed into her in one smooth thrust. Her eyes rolled back when he brushed her clit again, her breasts shaking, her hair trailing against the sheet with his every thrust, and she moaned desperately, bringing her head up so she could look into his eyes.

And the love and sheer _need_ she saw there made her tremble.

"I love you," she whispered, because she couldn't go another second without saying it. Her hips rocked to meet his every thrust as he drove into her, and oh God, it felt so good, he felt so good, but the way she felt when their eyes met was so much more.

"I love you too, baby," he breathed, still rubbing her clit, and she shuddered hard against him. "So much."

She looked up at the stars over them, and like this, so far away from everyone else, it was easy to believe they were the only two people awake, that only they shared this moment. She didn't stifle her cries or moans nearly as much as she usually did; he hadn't brought along a pillow for her to muffle herself, and besides, no one was around to hear. He moved more rapidly between her thighs with her every gasp and cry, and then she sobbed loudly, bucking against him as she felt herself begin to come.

"Oh my God oh God oh _Godddd_!" she cried, flushing. "Oh God _yes_ , baby oh don't stop don't _don't stop don't, just like that_ —"

Ned's fingers dug against the flesh of her ass as he ran the tip of his thumbnail against her clit, and she screamed, so high it was almost silent, writhing as she tightened around him. She rocked her hips hard against him until the pleasure of her climax was too intense for her to bear, and she broke, sobbing, boneless and spent as she collapsed to the blanket, her head tipping back as Ned sank to her, pushing deep between her sprawled legs as he let himself climax inside her.

Her throat was dry, her heart speeding as she took his weight, both of them still trembling a little at the force of their joining. She sighed as she slipped her arms around him, just listening to him breathe.

"I love you," he whispered, his lips brushing her temple. "God, Nan, I love you so much."

"And I love you," she whispered, a tingle going down her spine from the low, intense sound of his voice. "So much, Ned."

\--

The next morning, Nancy woke up thirty minutes before her alarm was set to go off and pushed the covers back. Even though she and Ned had returned to the main house late, still holding hands, and she had lost count of the number of times he had kissed her before she had snuck into the house, she was still full of nervous energy. She had to look for as many clues as she could before the hurricane hit, and she could almost feel its ominous approach even inside the house.

She dressed quickly, heading out to the barn with her supply bag over her shoulder. Many of the ranch hands were doing last-minute preparations, tying down equipment and any loose machinery just to make sure it didn't fly away during the storm. Nancy looked around but didn't see Warren. Justin smiled when she approached, and she returned it as she asked if he'd mind taking her to the western part of the ranch just to look around before the storm hit—she specifically mentioned going to a location on the map very near the abandoned silver mine. He told her to meet him back in the barn in about thirty minutes, and she went back into the house to have a more substantial breakfast than the slice of buttered toast and cup of coffee she had bolted down before leaving earlier.

Most of the supplies were being stockpiled in the main room. Nancy saw four large blister packs of bottled water, countless batteries, flashlights, protein bars and crackers. The cook was serving up steak for breakfast, reasoning that if the power was going to go out, they'd have to eat it before it spoiled anyway. Nancy had steak and eggs for breakfast, and finished off another cup of coffee before she headed back out. The sky was an ominous sullen color, and she wanted to get away before Justin said conditions were too rough.

When she walked into the barn, though, Ned was coming in the other side, running his fingers through his hair. "You wanted to take a tour, ma'am?" he said.

Nancy nodded. "I thought Justin..."

"He had to take the pickup into town for a last-minute supply run," Ned explained, walking over to the two horses that had already been saddled for them. "So we'll just have to take these."

Nancy recognized the chestnut mare she had been given before and patted the horse reassuringly. Neither of the animals looked particularly happy at the prospect of going for a ride with the storm approaching. Ned helped her up and Nancy made sure she had a good grip on her bag, then glanced at the saddlebag. A white square, visible even in the gloom, caught her eye, and she pulled a sheet of paper out as Ned mounted the other horse, then guided him outside.

"Hey. What's this?"

Ned directed his horse to a light trot as he leaned over to take the sheet of paper Nancy was offering. "A very basic map," he said, studying it. "And..." He glanced back. "A completely inaccurate one. You wanted to head out in the direction of the silver mine?"

Nancy nodded, sweeping her hair out of her face. "Yeah."

"This would just lead us to some grazing ground. Definitely not the old silver mine. I saw it the first day I was out here."

Nancy frowned. "Does the map look like it's in Justin's handwriting?"

Ned shrugged immediately. "Haven't seen enough of his handwriting to know," Ned admitted. "Plus, block print..."

"Hard to trace," Nancy sighed, urging her horse to go faster. "Well, lead the way, Cole."

"Gladly, Miss Driscoll."

They were far enough away that probably no one could hear them, but it didn't hurt to be safe.

They took the horses as fast as they dared out toward the old silver mine, and with the way the sky was steadily darkening, the increased fury of the wind, Nancy caught herself wondering if they would be caught in the deluge before they could come back, if there was even any shelter out there to find. The horses were still nervous, but seemed to be happy to run away from the storm instead of toward it.

So the map was meant to lead them astray. Nancy glanced at her boyfriend, wondering if Justin had picked Ned to take her out to the mine so they would both be lost—if any of the suspects had figured out they were together. Two birds with one stone.

They dismounted at the mine, and Ned began to swiftly tie the horses to a tree. "We have to hurry," he told her, glancing at the sky. "Any idea what you're looking for?"

"Just that I'll know when I find it."

Ned chuckled, but followed her to the mine as she pulled out her flashlight. "Did you go inside when you were here before?" she asked.

"No," Ned told her. "Just saw that it was here. I can't really tell you if anything's out of place..."

His voice trailed off. "Well, I take that back."

Nancy turned to him, the beam of the flashlight playing over the sandy floor, and followed his gaze to a new red five-gallon gasoline container. They exchanged a glance, and Nancy walked over to it. The can was just inside the entrance, and Nancy saw the faint indentation of a boot sole.

"Ned? Come over here," she beckoned him. "Look familiar?"

"Yep," Ned said. "Hmm. How about that."

Nancy took out her camera, snapping the print alone and with Ned's foot next to it for scale. She gave the area a quick once-over, but the narrow scope of her flashlight beam and the steadily darkening sky meant conditions were pretty poor for her purposes.

Ned opened the gas can, then made a face and closed it. "Yeah, smells damn fresh," he told her. "There's not even any dust or sun-fading on the container. Guess this mine isn't as abandoned as we were told."

"Mmmm," Nancy agreed. "So now we have to figure out whose boot keeps leaving these prints..."

"But we have to get back to do that," Ned pointed out, taking her arm. She let him lead her to their horses, who were prancing nervously, tossing their heads. Both he and Nancy put on their raincoats, and then Ned soothed his horse with a few strokes and soft words, and Nancy smiled as she did the same. Even though when he was like this, she could very easily imagine him fitting right into it, she wasn't going to share her little ranch fantasy with him.

Well, probably wasn't, anyway.

"So what do you think's going on?"

Ned shook his head. "We can talk about it once we get back," he told her, swinging up onto his horse. "We really can't wait, Nan."

The first few cold, fat raindrops fell when they were halfway back to the ranch, and Nancy's horse, who already was definitely unhappy about their direction of travel, tossed her head. Nancy patted the horse, wincing as the wind drove hard against her face, snatching her breath away before she could even draw it.

Then, as the rain began in earnest, her horse bucked her.

Nancy gasped, twisting her fingers in the reins in an effort to hold on, and barely managed it. The leather bit into her fingers as she tried to catch her breath, and her hood was whipped back off her head by the wind; her scalp was immediately pelted with cold raindrops. Then her horse bucked again.

Nancy's teeth clacked hard together as she lost her balance and tumbled off the horse, somehow keeping a grip on her bag as she fell. Her horse, relieved of Nancy's weight, put on a burst of speed, then veered off, and Ned glanced back.

"Nancy!"

Nancy had had the wind knocked out of her, and she had fallen mostly on her ass, partially on her side. She slowly tried to push herself up, but she still felt stunned, watching Ned bring his horse around and come back to her. He swiftly dismounted, his eyes wide as he looked down at her, keeping one hand on the reins as he knelt beside his girlfriend. "Oh my God, are you okay?"

Nancy nodded, then winced. "Just—need to—get my breath back," she managed to gasp, blinking raindrops away from her eyes. "Ugh."

"You sure, baby?"

She nodded again, and Ned took her hand, his fingers warm against hers, as she summoned the strength to rise. A sharp stab of pain went through her right leg, especially her hip, as she stood, and Ned gazed at her in concern.

The rain was coming down harder, and the low moan of the wind was enough to raise the hair on the back of Nancy's neck.

"Do you need a minute?" Ned had to raise his voice to be heard over the roar around them.

"We don't—have—minute." She still felt a little breathless. "Your horse?"

Ned scanned the horizon, but Nancy's horse was definitely too far away to be caught. He helped Nancy up onto his horse, then swung up into the saddle, and she wrapped her arms tight around him. The back of her coat and her jeans were streaked with mud, and she could feel it cold and heavy in her hair; she felt precarious sitting behind Ned without her feet in the stirrups, but she had a tight grip on him, and she knew that he would do everything in his power to make sure she didn't fall.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Nancy said, forcing herself to speak a little louder, and Ned encouraged the horse to proceed back toward the ranch. For a long moment Nancy buried her face against Ned's shoulder blades, closing her eyes and tentatively trying to take account of whatever damage had been done in her fall. Every jolt of the horse made her leg hurt, but at least it wasn't quite so bad as it had been when she had climbed to her feet.

And God, even through his raincoat her boyfriend was warm, and she put herself in as much contact with him as she could. She hoped that when they got back, there would be enough hot water left for her to take a comfortable shower instead of an ice-cold one.

Ned's hand touched hers. They were both wet. She opened her eyes, looking at the back of his neck to keep from looking into the driving wind. "Are you sure you're not really hurt?" Ned called back to her.

"I'll be okay," she told him. "Probably just bruised and sore. Far cry from what whoever wrote that note wanted to happen."

"Thank God," Ned said fervently.

And that gave her an idea, which she thought about for the next mile. When she tipped forward a little and began to whisper it into Ned's ear, she could practically feel him frowning.

"I don't like it, Nan," he said warningly.

She kissed his neck before she settled behind him again, her arms around him. "Do you have a better idea?"

Ned was quiet for about thirty seconds before he sighed; she felt his chest compress. "Not that I can think of."

Nancy closed her eyes as she rested her face against his back again. She wouldn't have even tried it if he wasn't with her, but knowing he was there, she knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

The rain had drenched them both by the time they reached the barn, and Ned had to dismount and open the barn doors so they could get inside. Nancy's horse had returned to the barn and was still visibly nervous, and Ned led both horses inside, Nancy still astride his. He reached up to let her down, and she slipped off, his hands under her arms. His grip was strong and he pulled her to him, her body sliding against his. A flush rose to her cheeks and she tipped her head up to look at him.

"This is dangerous," he said softly. Other than the horses in the barn, they were alone, and he was free to wrap his arm around the small of his back, to reach up and brush a wet lock of hair from her wet forehead. His dark eyes were glowing as they gazed into hers. "Baby, please, _please_ be careful."

She tipped her head to the side, cupping his cheek, and when he brushed his lips against hers, she parted them, a soft whimper escaping her as they kissed. Her heart was in her eyes when they pulled back.

"You be careful too," she told him, then ran her fingers through his wet hair. "You'll be in more danger than me."

Ned shook his head, brushing the tip of his nose against hers. "Never, Drew," he told her softly. "Your leg still bothering you?"

He reluctantly released her, and she took a few tentative steps. The stabbing pain had become a hot throb, and Nancy swallowed, forcing a smile.

"I'll be okay."

"Liar." Ned scooped her up and Nancy let out a soft squeal. "Hey, if I have an excuse to get my arms around you, I'm gonna take it."

Nancy wrapped her arm around his shoulders. He made sure the horses were secure in their stalls, then walked to the door, and when he had his hand on it, Nancy tightened her grip on him, and he glanced down at her.

"I love you," she said softly. "Always have, always will."

"Love you too, Nan," he replied, giving her one last soft kiss. "Always have, always will."

Ned carried Nancy inside, and as they had agreed, he explained to everyone in the house that they had been on the way out to the western side of the ranch when Nancy's horse had been spooked and had thrown her, and they had never made it to their destination. They had come back as fast as they could, but Nancy had been injured. Nancy put a suitably pained expression on her face, and it was only mostly feigned. Despite Ned's gentle embrace, her leg really was bothering her.

Ned used the excuse that he felt responsible for Nancy's fall to explain his presence around her, and after she took a blessedly warm shower, washing the mud out of her hair, she gingerly slid into clean clothes and opened the bathroom door to find Ned waiting there for her, the wind howling and the house creaking ominously in response—

And then the lights went out.

Nancy sighed, closing her eyes for a moment to help them adjust to the darkness better. The dim light filtering through the shuttered windows was an eerie green, and the gathered family members and staff were groaning and lighting candles. Ned took one of the large white pillar candles, and she accepted his offered arm, limping dramatically as he helped her walk to her room.

"You know what to do?" she whispered as she pulled back the covers and slipped into bed, unable to hide her wince as she shifted her weight to her injured side.

Ned nodded, leaving the candle beside her bed. "Take care of yourself," he breathed, and brushed his thumb over her hand. She could see the doubt in his eyes.

"You too."

Nancy kept her gaze on the door even after Ned had walked out, then took a long, deep breath and stroked her hand down her leg. She hoped that with some rest, she would be all right—and if her plan succeeded, she and Ned could be on their way to the beach for their getaway as soon as the storm let up.

Charlotte came in soon after, asking if she could get Nancy anything, and at least that kept Nancy from worrying about Ned's part in their plan. Charlotte brought in a deck of cards and they played by candlelight, and the cook made aluminum foil packets of meat and vegetables for lunch.

When the sky darkened, Nancy checked her watch. If everything had gone according to plan, Ned had already finished his part—which left her in play.

Nancy had a hunch that the ranch hand who had given them the false map had known he might be incriminated by something out at the old silver mine. The gas can was the standard model that could be found at practically any gas station or hardware store, and its rough surface was terrible for holding prints. The boot print, though, was more individual, and she had asked Ned to telegraph his intention to go out to the bunkhouse for some "errand"—and check the boots left there by the other guys. Finding out whose feet were the right size would narrow down their suspects, and quite possibly get the one they wanted scared. Ned would claim, if anyone asked, that Nancy had asked him to do it, without letting him in on the reason.

Ned's fear was that if the guy did get scared, he would go after her. Nancy was more inclined to think that he would try to take the pickup or a horse out to the silver mine before Nancy could get out there, just to eliminate any evidence that was left. Either way, they would have him.

The electricity was still out when the sun, obscured by the driving rain and roiling clouds, finally went down. Nancy limped to the window and peeked through the shutters, and shivered a little. They were alone for miles around, with no easy way to escape. When she heard steps approaching her door, Nancy scrambled quietly into bed. They wanted whoever had given her the fake map to believe she was more badly injured than she truly was.

The next knock on her door signaled the arrival of dinner. Ned came in soon after, just to check on her, then went out again, without lingering too terribly long. He gave her a wink, though, and Nancy fidgeted, waiting for Ned to find an opportunity to come back to her and report what he had found out. When he and Charlotte brought her something to drink and a dose of aspirin a while later, he pressed a scrap of paper into her hand, and Nancy tried her best to keep her face impassive and neutral until he and Charlotte left again—and Charlotte, damn her, left the door open so that Nancy could call if she needed anything.

Nancy slowly unfolded the note, angling it so the cup of her hand hid it from plain view, so she could read it in the dim light.

_Justin and Warren_

Nancy folded the note up as small as she could, then touched it to the candle flame.

Since the electricity was out, the household went to bed early. The ranch hands had sleeping bags lined up in the living room with the rest of the staff, which made Ned's job all the easier. Nancy feigned sleep, but left the candle burning beside her bed. She kept her heavy flashlight in her hand, tucked under a fold of the blanket and out of sight, just in case she needed it.

Her anxiety and injury had both started wearing her out, and when Nancy heard a floorboard creak, she jolted awake with a gasp, annoyed with herself for even falling asleep. The darkness beyond the candle seemed to throb and pulse, grey and purple, and Nancy held her breath, trying to keep her heart from beating too loudly. The creak didn't repeat itself, and she heard someone turn in a sleeping bag, heard the distant faint squeal of bedsprings from another bedroom.

Very slowly Ned moved into her room, pushing the door so it was almost closed. "Hey," he breathed.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Warren just snuck out. You okay?"

Nancy nodded. "Yeah. Did you follow him?"

"Enough to see him go to the barn and leave on horseback." Ned moved over to the bed, gazing down at her. "I don't know the land around here well enough to follow him without being spotted—or without getting in trouble."

Nancy reached for his hand, and Ned's mouth tightened a little. Her fingers were cold, and his hand was so warm against hers. "I'm glad you didn't take the risk," she murmured.

"You're cold, sweetheart," he breathed. "Wish I could warm you up."

"You can as soon as we get this case solved," Nancy told him with a smile.

Another floorboard creak made both of them turn toward the door. Nancy made a frantic gesture at Ned and he dropped to the floor, slipping under her bed. With Warren gone, Nancy was pretty sure the creak was just someone heading to the bathroom, but just in case, she didn't want Ned to be caught in her bedroom at night. That would be hard enough to explain.

A shadowy figure stepped into Nancy's room, and her hand tightened on the flashlight as she feigned waking. "Hello?"

"Miss Driscoll," said the man, and in the dim, flickering candlelight, Nancy had to squint to make out his features. _Justin._

"Justin?" Nancy said, just so Ned would know who was in the room with her.

He shut the door behind him, and Nancy's stomach clenched. "You feelin okay?"

She nodded slowly. "Sore, but I'll be okay," she said.

"Real sorry that happened to you."

Nancy swallowed hard. "Me too. I was just trying to get some sleep," she said.

He nodded. "Just wanted to talk somethin over with you," he said, walking over to the bed, and while most of her was glad he didn't sit down on the edge of the bed, she didn't like the way he was looming over her, either. "You were tryin to get out to the old silver mine today?"

She nodded, but didn't elaborate, waiting to see if he would fill the silence.

"You been askin a lot of questions, and you need to understand somethin. Collins got too much riding on his project to let you keep snoopin around it, so we need to reach some kinda agreement." Justin stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"An agreement," Nancy said neutrally.

Justin dipped his head. "You can take a percentage of our cut," he said, and thinned his lips into a small line. "One time. And just let this go."

_And if I don't?_ Nancy wanted to ask, just to see what he'd say. "On one condition," she said. "You tell me what's going on."

Justin shifted his weight from foot to foot, and Nancy felt her heart give a hard beat. She didn't like the way his gaze kept slipping away from her.

Justin explained that Collins's land bordered the Guzman ranch, and the silver mine was right at the edge—and the mines were just skirting his property, and they were the easiest access to some exploration Collins was doing. He had hired Justin and Warren to take over the equipment usage on the Guzman side, just so nothing would seem out of the ordinary—but Taylor's equipment wasn't made for the work they were doing, and it was easier to blame the brief absence of the equipment on stupid joyriding kids than to pay for it to be fixed.

Nancy nodded once he was finished with his explanation. If she and Ned had had time for further explanation, they probably would have found some of Taylor's equipment in the mine. "How much of a cut are we talking about?" she asked, narrowing her gaze.

Justin's hand was still jammed in his pocket, and his eyes looked dangerous in the flickering candlelight. "Just got one question first. I know you had Cole snoopin around for you. You let him in on this?"

Nancy shook her head. "He was just doing me a favor because he felt bad about me getting thrown," she said, her grip tightening on the flashlight. She still didn't like the look on Justin's face. "That map—that was you?"

Justin shrugged. "Just tryin to keep you out of this," he said, and then he jerked his hand out of his pocket—

And Nancy saw the glint of a blade in his hand.

Nancy cried out in warning, bringing the hand holding the flashlight up to block the blow as Justin lunged at her. She heard a scrabbling from under the bed and Justin let out an anguished cry, dropping to one knee. The knife in his hand stabbed the comforter beside Nancy's hip, and when Justin began to turn, to find the person who had knocked him to the floor, Nancy slammed the butt of the flashlight into his wrist, weakening his grip on the knife so he wouldn't be able to hurt her boyfriend. When he released it with a snarled cry, Nancy picked up the knife and flung it into the darkness on the other side of the bed. After a brief struggle, Ned had subdued Justin, securing his wrists with his belt.

Ned glanced up at her, panting. "I'm gonna go get Taylor," he said. "I'll be right back, babe."

Nancy nodded. "Hurry back," she said, keeping her gaze locked on a glowering Justin as she panted her breath back. The adrenaline was making her legs tremble a little. "And don't you even think about it; I'm a great shot."

Justin shook his head. "Shoulda known," he said disgustedly.

"Yeah, you should have," Nancy said, shaking her head too. "I can't believe you would treat your boss that way."

Justin shrugged. "Shoulda gotten rid of you that first day," he said, glaring at her, and Ned returned with Taylor in time to hear him say it.

"You're lucky you didn't," Ned told Taylor. "Because if you had harmed a single hair on her head, I would have ended you."

\--

The sea was calm, the sun warm. Nancy stepped into the spa tent at the edge of the pool wrapped in a thick terry-cloth robe, pushing her sunglasses up on her hair. The doctor had told her that rest and painkillers would have her right as rain again in a few days, but even more than that, she had an idea that rest and relaxation with her boyfriend would do wonders.

She checked her watch, then unbelted and slipped out of her robe. Her navy bikini, trimmed in white, set off her eyes and the tan she was slowly building, even if it displayed way too much of the massive purpling bruise on her side. She scowled at it, then pulled her hair up into a bun and moved onto the table, onto her stomach, covering herself with the sheet.

"Hey gorgeous."

Nancy turned her head to see Ned following her in, slipping out of his own robe. He was much more deeply tanned, and she loved to see the muscular lines of his handsome body when he wore his swim trunks. He moved onto the other table, under the sheet, and they faced each other across the space between. He had suggested the couples' massage, and she had been a little disappointed when she had realized they wouldn't be massaging each other.

"Hey handsome," she said with a smile.

"Feeling good?"

Nancy stretched, then glanced at the opening of the tent before looking back at Ned. "Feeling great. Despite that workout you gave me this morning."

"That's why we're here. Have to get you back in condition for the rest of our vacation," he said.

"Oh, _that's_ why we're here. Not because it's romantic or sweet..."

"That, _and_ I wanted to treat my girl. And tell her thank you for going along with this."

"I couldn't say no," she told him with a smile. "You can be very persuasive when you put your mind to it, Cole."

"Why thank you, Miss Driscoll." Ned put an exaggerated drawl in his voice. "You don't need another tour, by chance, do you?"

"I think I do. I don't know about taking another ride, though. I don't think I've quite been saddle-broken yet."

"Mmm. I guess it could get a little tender when you're not used to it. Want me to give you some personal attention?"

"Oh, would you?" she asked, fluttering her lashes. "That would be so incredibly sweet of you. By the time I leave here, I really want to have riding mastered, and you've been such a good teacher so far."

"Well, next we may just have to do a little rope-play. See what we can lasso. If you're up for it."

"I am if you are," she said, a gleam in her eye, and the only reason he didn't reply was that the masseuse arrived, greeting them both. Ned closed his mouth, but the expression in his dark eyes was enough to send a shiver of arousal down her spine, straight between her legs.

She just might have to tell him about that little idle fantasy she'd had... and they always had next summer, the excuse of another case...

She closed her eyes as the masseuse began on her shoulders.

"To be continued," Ned said softly, and she looked over at him, going boneless as the masseuse worked his way down her spine.

"Always," she whispered in reply, and when Ned reached out for her, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Always, sweetheart."


End file.
